CW Brief –HVTCM 2020/21

Assessment Briefs

Course Work :
Deadline for submission: End of week 10.

Part A [Subtotal: 50%]

Figure 1 below shows a striped-down image of a XLPE cable. The dimensions including the
constructed material, radius’s and thickness in mm, are given in Table 1.

Assume that the cable, forms part of a three-phase system, is supplied from a 50Hz, 11kV voltage
source.

Figure 1 – XLPE Cable

Table 1

ID Component Material Radius (mm) Thickness (mm)

1 Conductor Copper 5.4 -

2 Conductor screen Silicone 6.1 0.7

3 Insulation XLPE 9.5 3.4

4 Insulation screen Silicone 10.25 0.75

5 Semiconducting - - -
tape

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6 Metallic sheath High Strength 13.8 2.55

alloy steel

7 Outersheath PVC 15.7 1.9

Finite Element Analysis software has been used to generate the result of electric field distribution as
given in Figure 2.

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Figure 2 - Electric field distribution as obtained from COMSOL simulation

Also Figure 3 below shows the field distribution when air-filled voids are present.

Figure 3 – 3 air-filled voids. Same size, different locations

(a) (i) Observe the results of figure 2, provide the theory and formulae to determine the electric
field in this case. (10) (ii) select any 3 positions radially in the main insulation and

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determine the distribution of electric field using manual calculations. (10) (iii) Contrast with
the results using the analytical approach you are taught in class. (10)

(b) (i) Observe the results of figure 3 with 3 circular air-filled voids in the insulation material and
comment on the changes to the distribution of electrical field/electrical stress in relation to
the position of a void in the cable. (10) (ii) Using the theories learnt from class, explain how
and why the change in position and size of a void would affect the stress inside the
insulation (no need for calculation). Also, discuss the implications of this stress related to the
occurrence of partial discharge and real world cable condition assessment. (10)

(Note: Due to the special circumstance this year, the lab session of using COMSOL will be
taught online. You will need to access COMSOL via VPN from your own laptop. The CW
report will not depend on the results of using the software package. Instead, the required
results are already provided above. It will be for exercise only)

Part B [Subtotal: 50%]

I. You have been collecting data in HV Lab regarding the condition of an insulator which has
been collected from a transmission line. The recorded data (are collected from the output
from an HFCT (High Frequency Current Transformer) which is measuring the leakage current
and an antenna which is located nearby.
You can access the data from the link below:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/x2ys23dysyphu9r/AACvsCkBcoQYNvy6xDbKUYU5a?dl
=0

a. Import the data into Matlab(use the provided guide) and plot [the leakage current
vs. time] and [antenna output vs. time]. [9 marks]
b. Critically comment on your observations from the graphs. (e.g.: look for repetition
patterns of high-intensity pulses, similarities and differences between two graphs,
etc.) [6 marks]
c. Explain briefly (max 150 words) the two techniques that are being used in this
experiment for condition monitoring of insulators, [6 marks]
d. Explain why this test normally should be carried out under wet condition? [4 marks]

II. In order to evaluate the pollution severity on the surface of an insulator collected from an
overhead transmission line, the deposit was removed and carefully collected from the
surface of the insulator excluding metal parts. It was dissolved in V=500 cm3 demineralized
water. The resulting slurry was kept stirred for at least 2 minutes before the measurement
of its volume conductivity σ20 (S/m) at the temperature 20 °C.

[see the guide below to find σ20 based on your student ID number]

The water containing pollutants after measuring the conductivity was filtered out by using a
funnel and pre-dried and weighed filter paper (the net weight of the clean filter is 0.82g).

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The weight of the filter paper containing pollutants under dry condition is measured to be
Wf (g).
[see the guide below to find Wf based on your student ID number]

The area of the insulator surface is A=2887 cm2.

(a) Calculate the ESDD Equivalent salt deposit density (mg/cm²). and the NSDD non-
soluble material deposit density (mg/cm2). [10 marks]

(b) Demonstrate your calculated ESDD and NSDD on the Figure 1 below (reproduce the
Figure in your report) and determine the severity of pollution on the insulator. [3
marks]
(c) You are going to determine the number of required insulator for a 400-kV overhead
transmission line (I-string). If the leakage distance of one cap-and-pin insulator is
32cm based on the recommended leaking distance per kV (Table 1): determine the
number of required insulators (for the location that this insulator will be installed).
[5 marks]
(d) Discuss how the calculated number of insulator can affect the design and cost of the
tower(pylon). [7 marks]

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Guide for obtaining required information from your student ID number:

Consider the last three digits of your Student matriculation number. Multiply that by 2
this will be the σ20 in µS/cm. The value of Wf will be the last three digits divided by 100
and then added by 0.82, in grams.

Example: for student ID: S1987654 (the last three digits are 654, we obtain the σ20
=654*2=1308 µS/cm =0.1308 S/m and Wf=(654/100)+0.82=7.36 g)

Another example: student ID: S1234018 (the last three digits are 018, we obtain the σ20
=18*2=36 µS/cm=0.0036 S/m and Wf=(18/100)+0.82=1.0 g)

Note 1: the data table is given for l-g (line-ground) voltage. Make sure that you convert
the transmission line voltage level which is normally expressed in line-line voltage to
l-g:

In a three-phase system, the following expression holds: Vl-g=Vl-l / √3 And you also need
the peak value of the voltage. This can be calculated from the rms value of the voltage:
Vpeak=Vrms*√2

Note 2: Always round-up the calculated number of insulators. For example, if you obtain
that you will need 8.02 discs you have to conclude that 9 insulator discs is required.

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Figure 1 – the relationship between ESDD and NSDD and Site Pollution Severity for Cap-and-pin Disc insulators.

Table 1- Recommended leakage distance based on the site severity

Site Severity Leakage Distance

I-string

(cm/kV l-g)

Very Light 1.5

Light 1.6

Moderate (Medium) 2.0

Heavy 2.5

Very Heavy 3.1

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